Apparatus for offshore operations

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is provided for use in a well from a floating vessel involving suspension means mounted on a vessel above the well in fixed relationship to the well such that flexible means may run into the well from the vessel over the suspension means and over first and second means which are attached to the vessel and the well respectively to provide parallel vertical runs between the first means and the suspension means, between the suspension means and the well, and between the second means and the first means, the vessel having a well tool such as a logging tool suspended from the flexible means in the well and running from the second means horizontal to means on the vessel operating the tool.

United States Patent Kanady [451 Mar. 21, 1972 541 APPARATUS FOR OFFSHORE 3,421,581 1/1969 1 Van Geijn ..17s/27 x OPERATIONS 1 Primary Examiner-Stephen I. Novosad [72] Inventor: W|ll|am E. Kanady, Houston, Tex. Assistant Examiner kichard E Favreau [73] Assigneeg E550 Production Research Company Attorney-Thomas B. MCCUHOCh, Melvin F. Fincke, John S. Schneider, Sylvester W. Brock, Jr., Kurt S. Myers and [22] Filed: Mar. 13, 1970 Timothy L. Burgess [21 1 Appl. No.: 19,368

' [57] ABSTRACT [52] [1.8. CI ..l66/.5, 175/27, 254/l72 Apparatus is provided for use in a well from a floating vessel [51] lnt.Cl ..E2lb 47/00 involving suspension means mounted on a vessel above the [58] Field of Search ..-l75/27, 5, 7; loo/. 5; 73/ ISI, well in fixed relationship to the well such that flexible means 152; 254/ I72 may run into the well from the vessel over the suspension means and over first and second means which are attached to [56] References Cited the vessel and the well'respectively to provide parallel vertical UNITED STATES PATENTS runs between the first means and the' suspension means, between the suspension means and the well, and between the 2,809,435 10/ 1957 Nicolson et al. 175/27 X second means and the first means, the vessel having a well tool 2, ,436 10/195 wolihinglon e! 1 X such as a logging tool suspended from the flexible means in the Parks ....l75/27 X we and running from the econd means horizontal to means Bohlman..... l X on the vessel operating the (00L 3,403,728 l0ll968 Richardson.. ..166/.5 3,408,822 1 H1968 Chate et al 166/.5 X 11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures D E R R l C K l7 T L d 2 SONDE Patented March 21, 1972 DERRICK l7 I RI 1 A c E H FIG. I.

I INVENTOR WILLIAM E. KANADY,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to apparatus for maintaining a tool in a well in a substantially constant position when suspended from a vessel in a body of water. More particularly, the invention is concerned with overcoming the action of waves on running in and testing wells using well tools in a body of water by providing means for overcoming rise and fall of the vessel. In its most specific aspects, the invention is concerned with employment of a single flexible means such as a wire line or a cable in suspending a well too] from a vessel in a body of water in a well such that the well tool is maintained in a substantially constant position.

2. Description of the Prior Art It has been known heretofore to conduct offshore operations wherein well tools have been maintained at a substantially constant position in a well by use of one or more lines having a substantially vertical run in a submarine well wherein the well tools are suspended from a vessel in a body of water. It has also been known heretofore to employ hydraulic weight control and compensating apparatus for well tools in submarine wells. Also, the use of apparatus for maintaining proper depth correlation in well logging apparatus is known wherein the logging apparatus is flexibly suspended in the well. It is known in the prior art to use piston cylinders and test means with adjustable tension for suspending a tool in a well bore. Other apparatus for suspending tools in wells are known as using piston cylinders in combination with hydraulic apparatus.

None of the prior art devices, however, are as simple and workable like the present invention in which the action of waves is overcome by the use of a flexible line which is the suspending and operating means. The present invention is, therefore, quite important, advantageous and useful. The following specific United States Pats. were considered with respect to this invention:

No. 2,645,121 No. 3,088,710

No. 2,698,949 No. 3,151,686

No. 2,809,435 No. 3,158,206

No. 2,809,436 No. 3,158,208

No. 2,981,347 No. 3,208,728

No. 2,984,455 No. 3,369,600

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be briefly described and summarized as involving suspension means mounted on a vessel in a body of water in fixed vertical relationship to a well drilled in the body of water and having its upper end above the body of water. The vessel is provided with first means arranged on the vessel below the upper end of the well for flexibly and movably connecting the flexible means to the vessel. A second means is mounted on the well above the vessel for flexibly and movably connecting the flexible means to the well. The flexible means is run into the well from a sheave over the suspension means and over the first and second means providing parallel vertical runs between the first means and the suspension means, between the suspension means and the well, and between the second means and the first means. Thus, the flexible means has a well tool suspended therefrom in a well and runs from the second means horizontally to means on the vessel for operating the tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention will be further illustrated by reference to the drawings in which:

F IG. 1 is an illustration of the present invention showing the suspension ofa well tool in an underwater well;

FIG. 2 is a partial view of the suspension means illustrating its adjustable horizontal movement; and

FIG. 3 is a detail modification of a portion of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODE AND EMBODIMENTS WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWING Referring now to the drawing, numeral 10 designates a barge or vessel in a body of water 11 having a water surface 12 in which a riser 13 of a well generally indicated by the numeral 14 extends above. The well 14 penetrates water bottom not shown and runs to an unspecified depth. A logging sonde S is suspended in well 14 below water bottom by a wire line or cable 15 which runs over sheaves A and B rotatably arranged on member 16 in a well derrick 17, shown only partially. The cross member 16 is pivotally connected to the derrick 17 by pivot 18 and is connected to the other side of the derrick 17 by pin or bolt 19 which is removable. The wire line or cable 15 runs over a sheave C which is attached by vertical adjustable bracket 20 to the vessel or barge 10. The bracket 20 may be adjusted vertically by means 21 which may be threaded means arranged in openings in the bracket 20.

The flexible means 15 then runs over a sheave D and thence runs to a well logging operating means E on the barge or vessel 10.

The sheave D is attached to the upper end 22 of the well by connecting means 23, another embodiment of which is shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 1 the means 23 is a split collar, one-half of which is connected to the bracket 24 and which is clamped together about the riser 13 by bolts and nuts 25.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that either or both of the sheaves A or B may be adjusted horizontally on the member 16 by member 27 comprising a block 28 and a set screw 29, allowing the sheaves A and B to be moved horizontally or laterally.

Referring to FIG. 3, the connecting means 23a is adjustable with respect to the sheave D, it being carried on a pivot arm 30 provided with a slot 31. The arm 30 is attached to the collar 2311 by pivot means 32. An arm 33 projects horizontally from the collar 23a and is provided with holes 34 which cooperate with the slot 31 such that the sheave D may be raised or lowered and maintained in position by a pin 35.

With respect to FIG. 1, only one-half of the barge or vessel 10 is shown, the other half being omitted for the purpose of clarity. It will be understood that the left-hand side of the barge or vessel 10 is similar to the right-hand side and the water in between is an open or moon pool in the barge 10.

It will be further noted that the means 16 is shown in dotted lines with the pin 19 removed so it pivots downwardly substantially parallel to the derrick 17 to which it is attached. Of course, the means 16 could also be pivoted upwardly. This may be done when the tool is not being used in the well.

The present invention is quite useful in maintaining a tool in a selected position in a submarine well. Means are known and have been used for maintaining a vessel over a well despite high wind and waves. This is done by a system of thrusters or propulsion means (not shown) mounted on the barge or vessel at various points and operated by a computer such that the wind and waves tending to displace the vessel over the well are compensated for by the usage of the thrusters or propulsion means. However, (not heretofore, means for compensating for vertical movement while known have sometimes been complex and difficult to operate.

In the present invention compensation for vertical movement of a floating marine vessel or platform is accomplished in a simple and inexpensive manner.

With reference to the drawing and particularly FIG. I, the sheaves A and B are rotatably mounted at a fixed position across the derrick at any desired point on a cross beam which may be swung up or down when not in use. The sheave B or sheave A or both of them for that matter may be vertically adjustable along the beam to allow the line 15 to be vertical. Thus, the line 15 passes around sheave C which is mounted on a barge or vessel 10. The sheave C is also vertically adjustable to provide a selected space between it and the' sheave D which is mounted on the casing riser of a submarine well.

Upward motion such as d of the vessel 10 also moves vertically the sheaves A, B, and C. Sheave C slacks OR the same amount of cable that A and B are taking up with the weight of 5 the logging sonde or tool and cable keeping the cable in tension. 'If the barge or vessel rises say 10 feet, the sheave C slacks off feet of cable, but at the same time sheaves A and B take up 20 feet of cable. Thus, there is no reactive movement of the logging sonde or tool S.

Downward movement of the barge or vessel 10 designated as d causes sheaves A and B to also move down and likewise sheave C moves down. Sheaves A and B slack off the cable with sheave C taking up the same amount.

Thus, the present invention allows the logging sonde or tool S to remain fixed in spite of wave action or to be moved during logging operation. The sheave arrangement allows the logging cable to remain vertical along its vertical runs, which is necessary for stationary positioning of the well tool. While a single sheave such as A could be used and B dispensed with, the extra sheave B keeps the sheave C from contacting the well riser by properly spacing the vertical runs of the cable 15.

The distance between the sheave D and the tool operator E is shown in FIG. 1 as a distance R. This may be any distance but preferably is within the range of 75 to 100 feet, although a lesser distance may be used.

It is also to be noted that the riser 13 is provided with air cylinders designated by the numeral 35. These air cylinders provide tension on the riser l3 and maintain it in an upright position.

While the well tools have been illustrated by logging tools, it is to be understood that other tools may be employed such as gun perforators, thermometers, flow meters, coring tools, other perforating devices besides guns, inclinometers, depth indicators, and the like. While these tools are illustrative, other tools may be used such as surveying devices and many other logging tools. These examples are given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation since the present invention is applicable to maintaining any tool at a selected location in a well drilled in a body of water where the tool is suspended from a vessel in a body of water.

As seen from the foregoing description, especially taken with the drawing, a very simple and useful device is provided for operating tools in wells below a body of water where the tools are suspended from a floating vessel which is subjected to vertical motion.

The nature and objects of the present invention having been completely described and illustrated and the best mode and embodiments contemplated set forth, what I wish to claim as new and useful and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for use in a well from a floating vessel which comprises:

suspension means mounted on said vessel above said well in fixed vertical relationship to said well;

first means arranged on said vessel below the upper end of said well for flexibility and movably connecting flexible means to said vessel;

second means mounted on said well above the vessel for flexibly and movably connecting flexible means to said well; and

flexible means running into said well from said vessel over said suspension means, and over said first and second means providing parallel vertical runs (i) between said first means and said suspension means, (ii) between said suspension means and said well, and (iii) between the second means and said first means;

said flexible means having a well too] suspended therefrom in said well and running from said second means horizontally to means on the vessel for operating the tool.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the suspension means is adjustably mounted for horizontal movement.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the first means is rotatable.

4. Apparatus in accordance with clalm l in which th second means is rotatable.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the suspension means is rotatable. Y

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the flexible means is a wire line.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the flexible means is a logging cable.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the first means is vertically adjustable.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the suspension means is arranged on means pivotally arranged above said vessel.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which:

a. the suspension means is rotatably mounted;

b. the suspension means is adjustably mounted for horizontal movement;

c. the first and second means are rotatable;

d. the flexible means is a logging cable; and

e. the well tool is a logging tool.

l 1. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10in which the first means is vertically adjustable. 

1. Apparatus for use in a well from a floating vessel which comprises: suspension means mounted on said vessel above said well in fixed vertical relationship to said well; first means arranged on said vessel below the upper end of said well for flexibility and movably connecting flexible means to said vessel; second means mounted on said well above the vessel for flexibly and movably connecting flexible means to said well; and flexible means running into said well from said vessel over said suspension means, and over said first and second means providing parallel vertical runs (i) between said first means and said suspension means, (ii) between said suspension means and said well, and (iii) between the second means and said first means; said flexible means having a well tool suspended therefrom in said well and running from said second means horizontally to means on the vessel for operating the tool.
 2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the suspension means is adjustably mounted for horizontal movement.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the first means is rotatable.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the second means is rotatable.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the suspension means is rotatable.
 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the flexible means is a wire line.
 7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the flexible means is a logging cable.
 8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the first means is vertically adjustable.
 9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the suspension means is arranged on means pivotally arranged above said vessel.
 10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which: a. the suspension means is rotatably mounted; b. the suspension means is adjustably mounted for horizontal movement; c. the first and second means are rotatable; d. the flexible means is a logging cable; and e. the well tool is a logging tool.
 11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which the first means is vertically adjustable. 